


When Did Trader Joe’s Employees Become Hot?

by overuseduser



Category: Be More Chill - Iconis/Tracz, Be More Chill - Ned Vizinni
Genre: Alpha Michael Mell, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Angst, M/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Maybe eventually smut, Meet-Cute, More tags will be added as the story progresses, Omega Jeremy Heere, Stress Baking, i thought of this while in a stop and shop it’s all good, im not really sure where this is going but it’s ok, kind of, oh yes it’s coming, or a few who knows, other characters to be added - Freeform, probably at one point, that escalated quickly
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-25
Updated: 2018-10-17
Packaged: 2019-07-17 17:19:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,175
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16100219
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/overuseduser/pseuds/overuseduser
Summary: Jeremy Heere has never seen an attractive person in a grocery store. Until, one day, he does.And that person is one of the best smelling alphas he’s ever had the pleasure to meet.





	1. 1 — Jeremy

**Author's Note:**

> hey guys! i literally came up with his idea at 11pm after i left a grocery store, and i immediately thought it would be perfect for boyfs. it originally was not abo, but i changed it part way through cause there’s not evough omegaverse for this ship. eventually i might post the idea without abo, so keep an eye out ;) i don’t have everything planned out yet, so forgive me for irregular updates & shit like that. enjoy!

Jeremy Heere had never seen an attractive person in a grocery store, especially a Trader Joe’s. 

Until now, apparently. 

The employee across the store was dressed in the customary Hawaiian-style tee shirt, which usually decreased ones overall attractiveness, but on this guy...wow. He was clearly an alpha, a tall, muscled frame evidencing this, and had darker skin and bright eyes behind thick framed glasses that complemented his face perfectly. A red hoodie was tied around his waist, accenting it in a way that made him seem even taller. He looked around his Jeremy’s age, so he likely would have seen him at his school, but he didn’t look familiar. How had he not seen him before? 

But he, Jeremy Heere, was totally straight. No doubt about it. He was appreciating this alpha in a totally not-gay, completely normal dude-bro way. He was straight!

Yeah, and he was an omega. But he always liked female alphas. 

Right?

Jeremy put his internal crisis aside as objectively-cute-Trader-Joes-alpha suddenly started walking toward him. Shit, shit, shit. Wait, how had he never noticed him before? He was even cuter up close...god. 

As the other boy walked by, Jeremy inconspicuously (he hoped) craned his neck to look at his name tag, but he couldn’t quite make it out; mysterious-Trader-Joe’s-boy was walking too fast for him to get a good look, but he certainly got a nose full of his scent. His knees went weak and he leaned on his cart for support, head spinning with the urge to submit. 

Another alpha down the aisle walked toward him, a concerned look on his face. “Are you okay?” the man asked, seeming genuinely concerned. Jeremy recoiled at the pure _wrongness_ of his scent, covering his nose with his sleeve. He waved the alpha off with a quick, “Thank you, I’m fine,” and as the alpha passed him, Jeremy shook his head, trying to concentrate on his shopping and not the amazing smell that still hung in his nose. Ugh. Sometimes, he hated his instincts. 

He continued through the store in a haze, unable to stop thinking about the encounter. Absentmindedly, he grabbed the rest of his groceries, not looking at which checkout line he got on. He’s barely able to put his items on the conveyor belt without dropping them, but he does it and he’s thinking he’s in the clear before someone coughs in front of him. He didn’t look up before saying, “Sorry, I—“ His voice cut off abruptly as his nose registered the scent and his head snapped up and met the melted-chocolate-colored eyes staring at him with concern. If Jeremy had been paying attention, he would have seen the alpha’s eyes dilate immediately upon registering his scent, but all he could think about was the smell filling his nose and clouding his senses. He leaned forward unconsciously, fully focused on getting closer to the source of that delicious scent. The alpha— Michael, Jeremy dimly notices the name tag through the haze filling his mind— takes a step back, and Jeremy comes back to his senses slightly as their proximity decreases. He turns bright red, unable to meet Michael’s gaze. “I-I’m so s-sorry, alpha, I don’t know what’s hap-happening, I’m so sorry,” he stutters, still barely able to speak through the scent that surrounds him. 

He’s sure the whole store can smell him, but at this point he can’t bring himself to care. Some other alpha approaches them, maybe the same one from before, and Michael growls, literally growls, a deep, throaty sound of pure alpha that literally sends Jeremy to his knees. The customers behind them are grumbling, moving to different lines, but Jeremy doesn’t even notice because the two alphas are squaring off, ready for a fight in the middle of this store. He knows, somehow, that he has to stop this, so he scrambles to his feet, stepping closer to Michael and putting his hand on his tensed arm. “Alpha,” he whines, realizing he has no plan whatsoever in what to do. 

However, the word seems to bring Michael to his senses. His eyes flash in warning at the other alpha one last time before he turns to Jeremy. His stance immediately gentles, seeming to come back to himself. “Are you okay?” he asks, because Jeremy is plugging his nose and panicking and he knows he needs to get out of there. “Uh, y-yeah,” he says hurriedly, “I j-just need to p-pay for my groceries and l-leave,” he adds, voice slightly nasally as he carefully blocks the scent from his nose. 

Now that he’s back in his own mind, he registers the slick sliding down his inner thighs and his half hard dick and internally groans. Great. His instincts are telling him to just go with the flow, let him do what he wants, but the rational part of his brain is telling him _absolutely not, do not unplug your nose until you are far away from this alpha and his perfect scent and under no circumstances should you go into heat in front of him._ He listens to the rational part, carefully keeping his nose blocked and his eyes firmly away from the alpha as he pays, and he stands helplessly when he sees the three bags that he’d usually be perfectly capable of carrying sitting on the end of the conveyor. He sighs, grabbing two of the paper bags in one hand and pulling his shirt over his nose with the other. He glances back at Michael as he does, the sight of him spurring Jeremy to let his shirt fall and grab the other bag, quickly grabbing it before his grip loosened again, Michael’s heady scent reaching his nose. Fuck! How was he going to do this? Jeremy sighed, reaching back up to plug his nose before he could lose his mind again. 

Michael turned to the other employee behind him, saying a few words before approaching Jeremy. “Can I, uh, help you with that?” he asked shyly, gesturing to the bag. Jeremy watches him warily. “W-why do you s-still want to help me? A-after everything I d-did just now?” he asks, confused. Michael looks similarly bewildered. “Everything you d— that wasn’t you! That was your instincts, and that’s never your fault,” the alpha reassures, unthinkingly taking a step toward Jeremy. Jeremy steps back, still holding his nose with one hand and wow, this is starting to hurt, but it’s worth it so he doesn’t go into heat here and now. He whimpers, fighting every instinct that tells him to go to Michael, to submit to him. He immediately backs off, apologising profusely. “I’m so sorry,” he repeats. Jeremy simply nods, unused to an alpha not seeing him for just his status or his body, no matter how skinny and bony it was. “U-uh, a-a-anyway,” Jeremy stutters, “some help w-with these would be great, a-actually.” 

Michael nods, grabbing the last bag and gently prying one from Jeremy’s hand with minimal protesting. He follows Jeremy outside, where the omega finally deems it okay to unplug his nose. He doesn’t immediately fall to his knees or swoon, which is good, excellent, actually, but he can definitely still smell Michael. Which might not be the best thing, he thinks to himself as more slick trickles down his thighs. 

When they reach his car, Jeremy leans against it in relief. “Thank you,” he tells Michael, opening the trunk and placing the bag he’s carrying in it. “I’m Jeremy, by the way.” Michael puts the bags he’s carrying in the trunk and gives an absentminded “I’m Michael,” as his nostrils flare as he takes in a deep breath. Jeremy looks around, briefly panicked, for what the alpha could be smelling. “Jeremy...are you...in heat?” Michael asks quietly, staring at Jeremy with concern and lust warring on his face. Jeremy’s face warms and he looks away. “I’m about to be,” he mutters, moving to walk around Michael to get to the car door. The alpha grabs his arm, spinning him to face him. “Jeremy, I cannot let you leave like this,” he insists, face serious. 

Jeremy yanks his arm away. Ugh. Just another alpha. “I’ll be fine. I can handle myself. I’m a big boy,” he says with a roll of his eyes. Michael’s eyes narrow at Jeremy’s sass, and he steps between him and the car. Shit. Now he’s done it. “I am driving you home,” Michael insists, a wave of alpha pheromones starting to roll off him. Jeremy whimpers, head tilting to the side and exposing his scent glands involuntarily. His dick twitches. “Fine, fine,” he mutters, and Michael’s expression clears. “Sorry about that,” the alpha mutters. “I didn’t mean to do that.” He actually seems ashamed, one hand coming up to adjust his glasses. Jeremy rolls his eyes again and hands him his car keys, resignedly moving to the passenger side. He may be in heat, technically, and this alpha may have caused it early, but that doesn’t mean that he needs to protect him. His heat pheromones immediately fill the car and Jeremy wonders how Michael hasn’t lost control more than the little slips he’s had. He feels himself losing control more with every passing moment, falling more into heat by the second. When Michael gets into the car, his scent overcomes Jeremy and he whines, pulling his knees to his chest and burying his face in them. It’s almost too much, but not enough. 

Michael coughs and Jeremy’s gaze snaps to him. “Uh, so, where to?” Michael asks, voice sounding choked. Jeremy’s heat addled brain takes a moment to comprehend that, more focused on the sound of Michael’s voice than what he’s saying. “O-oh, I live over b-by the train station, down the hill,” he says shakily, trying to stamp down on his instincts as his eyes water. He swipes at them angrily, turning away from Michael. “J-just drive. I’ll t-tell you where to go,” he mutters. Michael nods, starting the car and pulling out of the lot. 

The drive to Jeremy’s house is mostly quiet, punctuated occasionally by a quiet moan or whine from Jeremy or an indecipherable noise from Michael. His fingers gripped the steering wheel so hard his knuckles were white. Jeremy absently wondered what those hands would feel like on his hips, and instantly regretted it as images of Michael fucking into him filled his head and he whined again, louder this time. He intentionally breathed in Michael’s scent, actually enjoying the thrill it sent through him. He wanted more, needed to be closer to his alpha— no. Michael wasn’t his alpha. He didn’t notice the way Michael’s hands tightened further on the steering wheel or how he shifted uncomfortably in the seat. 

“Turn left here,” Jeremy blurts suddenly, and Michael turns quickly, hitting a bump in the road that sends a jolt through him. He grits his teeth, glancing sidelong at the alpha who’s scent he still can’t get over. It’s sapping all his self control to keep from climbing over the center console and onto Michael. He knows that scenting someone without their permission is a real asshole move, but he can’t help but take another not-so-subtle breath of the smell of Michael alpha Michael alpha Michael that surrounds him. 

They pull onto Jeremy’s street and Jeremy can barely tell Michael which house is his. Michael pulls into the driveway and immediately jumps out of the car, taking a few breaths of clean air before Jeremy watches him cross to his side. He opens the door and Jeremy’s pheromones flood out. He shudders at the sudden chill of the outdoors but tries to get out the car without any help. His knees are shaky but he stands, clutching onto Michael. He buries his nose in the alpha’s neck, right at his scent glands, and moans, trying to get closer to him. He feels hands gently seize his and unwind them from around and he whines at the contact, wiggling his hips against the alpha’s in a futile attempt at gaining friction. Michael removes his hands from where they settled on his shoulders, looking into Jeremy’s eyes. “You have to go to your heat room,” he insists, trying to pry Jeremy off him. “Please. You have to get off.” 

“No,” Jeremy retorts pathetically, starting to go crazy with need. He‘s desperate for Michael’s knot; his scent is driving him crazy and he can no longer resist his instincts. He feels Michael grab him by the hips and relaxes, thinking Michael is finally going to help him, but he feels himself pulled off the alpha and held at arm’s length. “Jeremy. I need you to listen to me,” he commands, using a hint of his alpha voice. In his heightened state, even that hint is enough to stop Jeremy in his tracks. “You don’t want me,” he mutters, head dropping. Of course. Of course he isn’t good enough for this perfect alpha. He sees Michael out of the corner of his eye as he turns away, seeming frozen with shock. “W-wait, no, Jeremy!” Jeremy turns back to him, no hope in his eyes, and Michael rushes on. “It’s not that I don’t want you. Please please don’t think that, okay? But you’re not in your right mind right now and I don’t want you to do something you’ll regret later. I— here,” Michael says quickly, untying the red hoodie from his waist. “Take this, and, um, think of me during your heat, I guess?” He’s blushing. “I promise you we’ll talk about this when you’re not in heat, okay?”

Jeremy nods and goes inside, but even with the hoodie, it’s still his longest, most unbearable heat in all his seventeen years.


	2. 2 — Michael

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Michael’s POV of The Incident.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this was actually so fun to write omg
> 
> also im a dumb ho i thought bway flea was today
> 
> spoiler: it wasnt

Michael Mell, however, definitely has seen an attractive person in a grocery store. A beautiful, sweet smelling omega who was a one way street to furiously jacking off after his shift if he breathed too deeply around him. 

Michael was absorbed in shelving cookies above one of the freezer aisles when an unmistakable scent hit his nose. He froze for a second, not knowing what to do before he walked quickly toward the front of the store past the omega. 

He regrets it immediately. The omega’s scent clouds his head immediately, making it hard to think clearly. Michael makes his way to the registers at the front of the store, walking up to Rich and sighing. “Can we switch for a bit?” he asks the omega, rubbing his temples in a futile attempt to clear his head. Rich smirks knowingly. “Your omega in the store?” he retorts with a wink. He puts down the scanner he’d been holding and slaps Michael on the back. “Sure, man. But you gotta interact with him eventually.” Michael rolls his eyes, grabbing the scanner and waving the next customer forward. Yeah. Eventually. He’ll talk to him eventually, Michael promises himself. 

After a few more customers, the sweet smell hits his nose again, and he zones out for a moment, head clouding, which prompts a questioning look from the beta customer he’s helping. He only gives a smile in return, shaking his head in an attempt to clear it. Internally, he’s freaking out because the omega is on his line, shit, what is he going to do? He doesn’t look normal, though, it looks like something’s wrong, but Michael can’t figure out what it is from his scent and sight alone. When the other boy doesn’t even seem to realize he’s there as he scans his groceries, he gives a quiet cough, and the omega’s head snaps up, eyes meeting Michael’s. Fuck. He’s even prettier up close, Michael thinks, and he can practically feel his eyes dilate. His eyes widen as the omega leans in closer to him and he takes a step back, though it requires a serious effort. “I-I’m so s-sorry, alpha, I don’t know what’s hap-happening, I’m so sorry,” the omega stutters, seeming to come back to his senses slightly. 

Some other alpha approaches them, checking to make sure everything is okay. Michael isn’t sure, but it’s quite possible that he’s Rich’s boyfriend Jake, since Rich is right next to him. However, as soon as he gets too close, Michael _growls_ at him, surprising himself put it on as much as anyone else. Jake growls back, pushing Rich behind him as Michael takes a step toward him. They stay like that, locked in a stalemate, until Michael feels a hand on his arm and hears a small whimper as the omega scent around him intensifies. “Alpha,” the omega whispers, and Michael is suddenly, somehow, back in his own head. He flashes one more warning glance at Jake, but turns to the other. “Are you okay?” he asks, because the omega is plugging his nose and he really hopes this turns out okay. “Uh, y-yeah,” the omega replies quickly, “I j-just need to p-pay for my groceries and l-leave,” he adds, and Michael finishes helping him while the omega pays without looking at him or unplugging his nose. He goes to grab the three bags he has, and Michael can visibly see him sigh. Before he can stop himself, he walks over, asking shyly, “Can I, uh, help you with that?” Jeremy looks at him warily. “W-why do you s-still want to help me? A-after everything I d-did just now?” he asks, seeming confused. Michael, internally, is yelling that the omega thinks he did something wrong because clearly he’s “Everything you d— that wasn’t you! That was your instincts, and that’s never your fault,” Michael reassures, unthinkingly taking a step toward Jeremy. Jeremy steps back, still holding his nose, and Michael panics because shit, now he’s overstepped and this omega is never going to want to talk to him again. He immediately backs off, apologising profusely. “I’m so sorry,” he repeats. Jeremy simply nods and looks surprised, like no alpha has ever respected him before. The thought ignites some instinct to protect the other boy like he’s never felt, and he’s standing awkwardly, trying to figure out what the fuck he’s going to do now. “U-uh, a-a-anyway,” Jeremy stutters, “some help w-with these would be great, a-actually.” 

Michael has never been more relieved. 

He grabs two of the bags, gently prying one from the hand the omega is holding two with, and follows him outside, where the omega clearly deems it safe enough to unplug his nose. Michael misses the hitch in his breath and stumble in his step as they continue to the car. The other boy points to one of the cars and pops the trunk, allowing Michael to place the bags he’s carrying in it. “Thank you,” he tells him, placing the bag he’s carrying in it. “I’m Jeremy, by the way.” Michael absentmindedly says “I’m Michael,” as he takes a deep breath and steps back and— “Jeremy... are you... in heat?” he asks quietly, concern and want warring in his head. Jeremy flushes and looks away, which tells Michael all he needs to know even before Jeremy says, “I’m about to be,” and tries to walk around him to get to the drivers side of the car. Before he realizes what’s happening, Michael has grabbed Jeremy by the arm and pulled him to face him. “Jeremy, I cannot let you leave like this.”

Jeremy yanks his arm away, saying “I’ll be fine. I can handle myself. I’m a big boy,” and Michael’s eyes narrow and his instincts are screaming at him to teach this disrespectful omega a lesson. He steps between Jeremy and the car and tells him, firmly, “I am driving you home.” He loses his usually close grip on his alpha side, pheromones rolling off him. Jeremy whimpers and exposes his scent glands and oh shit, all he’s thinking about is controlling himself enough to not jump Jeremy in his heat addled state. “Fine, fine,” the omega mutters, and Michael feels like absolute shit, because he just did something he promised himself he would never do under any circumstances. “Sorry about that,” the alpha mutters. “I didn’t mean to do that.” Jeremy rolls his eyes again and hands Michael his keys, walking over to the passenger side. 

Michael takes a moment to prepare himself before getting into the car, where Jeremy’s pheromones have already saturated the space. As he settles into the driver’s seat, Jeremy whines, and Michael’s dick twitches and oh shit this is going to be a long car ride. He glances over at Jeremy, who has pulled his knees to his chest and buried his knees in them, but decides not to say anything. Usually, before an omega goes into heat, they’ll prepare for as long as a week before, gathering blankets and other soft things for their nest and eating and drinking more to prepare for a week with little more function than to mate. Or so Michael’s heard. He’s never actually experienced a heat. 

Michael coughs slightly as Jeremy’s pheromones surround him, addling his brain. He can feel the omega’s gaze focus on him intensely and Jeremy is definitely going to notice the raging boner that is clearly going to be inevitable. “Uh, so, where to?” he asks, sure his voice sounds choked. It takes Jeremy a moment before he answers despite the fact he’s staring at him. “O-oh, I live over b-by the train station, down the hill,” he says shakily. He swipes away what seem like tears off his face and Michael wants so badly to wipe them away himself. “J-just drive. I’ll t-tell you where to go,” he mutters. Michael nods, starting the car and pulling out of the lot. 

Most of the drive to Jeremy’s house is quiet as Michael struggles with his self control. Occasionally, Jeremy whines or whimpers or moans and Michael shifts in his seat, holding back a moan of his own. He’s gripping the steering wheel so hard his knuckles are literally white. 

Jeremy whined again, louder this time.  
God,this boy was going to be the death of him. Michael’s hands tightened further on the steering wheel and he shifted in his seat. He tried thinking of dead things and what would happen if he hit an pregnant omega in the street to no avail. Fuck. 

“Turn left here,” Jeremy blurts suddenly, and Michael turns quickly, hitting a bump in the road. Jeremy squirms and Michael glances over at him to a sight that was going to be stuck in his head possibly forever. Jeremy still had his knees pulled to his chest, allowing Michael see a large damp patch on his thighs and butt that was clearly slick, and had his head tipped back against the car’s window, exposing his throat in a way that wasn’t meant to be enticing but definitely was. As Michael watches, paying less attention to the road than he should, Jeremy’s nostrils flare, taking a deep breath. Michael hurriedly looks away, trying to focus on the road, but the image of Jeremy scenting him is now permanently burned into his brain. 

Jeremy opens his eyes and glances out of the window, and it takes him a second to mumble out which house is his. Michael pulls into the driveway and immediately jumps out of the car, taking a few breaths of clean air. He crosses to the other side of the car, hesitating before pulling the door open. Jeremy’s pheromones wash over him and he closes his eyes, willing his instincts to fuck off for a moment. Jeremy gets out of the car and Michael only has a moment to be relieved (because he doesn’t think he could control himself if he had to carry the omega into his heat room) before Jeremy latches on to him, burying his face at the juncture of his neck and shoulder, where his scent glands are. Oh god. Michael knows that if he doesn’t stop this now, he’s never going to stop it, and if he claims Jeremy the first day he knows him they’re both never going to forgive him. He gently grabs the omega’s wrists from where they’re looped around his neck and when Jeremy starts grinding against him he almost gives up then and there. He pulls the other teen’s hands off him, holding them loosely at his sides. He looks directly into Jeremy’s wide, dilated eyes and insists, “You have to go to your heat room,” he insists, trying to pry Jeremy off him. “Please. You have to get off.” 

“No,” Jeremy retorts, and Michael is about to lose his fucking mind. He grabs Jeremy’s hips and holds him at arms length. “Jeremy. I need you to listen to me,” he commands, using a hint of his alpha voice. Jeremy immediately deflates, head drooping. “You don’t want me,” he mutters. Michael freezes as Jeremy turns away, too dumbfounded to say anything. He really thinks Michsel doesn’t want him? Only as Jeremy starts to walk off does he find his voice. “W-wait, no, Jeremy!” Jeremy turns back to him, no hope in his eyes, and Michael rushes on. “It’s not that I don’t want you. Please please don’t think that, okay? But you’re not in your right mind right now and I don’t want you to do something you’ll regret later. I— here,” Michael says quickly, untying the red hoodie from his waist. “Take this, and, um, think of me during your heat, I guess?” God, that was the most pathetic thing he’s ever said. “I promise you we’ll talk about this when you’re not in heat, okay?” 

Jeremy nods and walks into the house, and Michael has never felt more relieved and disappointed at once. Jeremy’s scent lingers in the air around him and he sighs. 

Only when he turns back to the car does he realise that he’s stranded in a suburban neighborhood with a raging hard on and no way back to his shift at the Trader. 

Shit. 

He calls an Uber.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> just to clarify: 
> 
> \- in this universe, scenting is any way of taking in someone else’s scent that is intentional more that just normal breathing, from taking a deep breath near someone to actually getting close to their scent glands to smell them. it is iscredinly disrespectful to scent someone without their consent, almost equivalent to groping someone in our world. it’s an incredible invasion of privacy. 
> 
> \- a heat room is a room in every living space that is sound- and scent-proof. building codes require them in every house and apartment. they usually contain a bed, a shelf filled with sheets, blankets, etc, and a mini-fridge of some sort containing food & drink for the week. omega heats last 4-7 days once a month, with unbonded omegas having longer ones. alpha ruts last 2-5 days once every three months and can also be triggered by their omega going into heat. both alphas and omegas use heat rooms, but they were first used by omegas, so they’re called heat rooms. 
> 
> anyway, kudos & comments fuel my life force thank you to everyone sho actually reads this! always feel free to leave me tips, constructive criticism, anything. next chapter will have some angst!
> 
> come hang out on twitter @stxrdusted


	3. 3 — Jeremy, Jake, & Michael

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> About a week later.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry this took so long! this just would not write. rich & jakes pov takes place the same day as jer’s, and michaels is a day after. 
> 
> we needed a lil angst up in heere

Seven days later, Jeremy emerges from his heat room, disorientated, hungry, and ready to never experience that ever again. He fucking hates his heats. He hates feeling needy and unsatisfied. 

He also hates what a fool they make him make of himself. God, he can’t believe he acted like that toward the alpha from Trader Joe’s— Michael, whose hoodie is now kind of covered in his slick and pheromones. Jeremy will be incredibly surprised if Michael wants that back after he smells it. 

What the hell should he do? 

Jeremy walks upstairs to grab a change of clothes, since he’s wearing the clothes he grabbed off his heat room’s floor from a week ago, and they smell like, well, a heat room. He can hear his beta father’s snores from where he stands in the hallway as he drags himself into his room and chucks his gross clothes onto his laundry heap. He picks up a striped shirt and pulls it on, turning to his dresser and grabbing a pair of sweatpants. He pulls them on and then gathers up his laundry, walking out of his room and shoving it into the washer down the hall. He starts it and walks back to his bedroom, flopping back on his bed and staring at the glow in the dark stars stuck to the ceiling. 

Michael probably hates him. He just took pity on the dumb heat-crazed omega who wouldn’t leave him alone, it wasn’t out of attraction or some weird instinct to protect Jeremy. He was never going to get an alpha like him; he’d probably get stuck with some asshole who only paid attention to him during his heats for breeding. He didn’t deserve someone like Michael anyway, because Jeremy was just a pathetic omega loser-geek, and whatever, he’d come to terms with it a long time ago. 

He doesn’t even know Michael! He was literally a stranger he met in a Trader Joe’s a week ago when he was in heat. 

Jeremy sighs and sits up, angrily swiping at a tear that threatens to roll down his face. Why is he so affected by this? He should be used to it by now. No one likes him, no one cares, he’s just another useless, worthless omega who deserves nothing. He isn’t pretty or talented. He doesn’t smell particularly good. No one will ever want him. 

Distantly, he hears the washer make the noise that means the load is done, and he realizes he’s been sitting there and thinking for over an hour. Jeremy stands, grabbing the hoodie that’s still on his bed, and switches the laundry, changing the newly washed clothes into the dryer and reluctantly throwing the hoodie in the washer. He hopes it doesn’t lose Michael’s scent... why is he so worried about this? He barely knows him! It doesn’t matter if the damn hoodie has his scent or not! He slams the washer closed and starts the load with a sigh. The motion makes him catch his own scent and he gags at the stale heat scent that apparently still surrounds him. He beelines to the bathroom, grabbing his towel on the way. One long shower later, Jeremy feels slightly better. He still doesn’t know what to do, but he’s more levelheaded. Jeremy grabs his laundry from the dryer and switches the hoodie, starting the dryer. He hasn’t stopped thinking about Michael for a moment. 

This is his own personal hell. 

∴∵∴∵∴∵∴∵∴∵∴∵∴∵∴∵∴∵∴∵∴∵

Michael’s week has been absolutely hellish. He can’t get Jeremy’s heat scent out of his nose or the images of him out of his head. He’s practically sick with worrying, so much so that even Rich has asked him if he’s okay. 

“Yeah, I’m fine,” he’d muttered, and Rich had given him an odd look and dropped it. After that shift, Rich had talked to Jake about it. “He’th literally not ever like thith.” His lisp came out when he was worried. “I mean, the guyth a literal ray of sunthine 24/7. Thith isn’t like him, not since he helped that omega he had hith eye on,” he told the alpha. Jake had glanced over at him grimly. “Yeah. I don’t know the guy that well, but how he was growling at me that day... that definitely wasn’t like him.” Rich sighed, leaning back into the couch he was curled up on. His heat was only a week away and it was putting both of them on edge; Jake because he didn’t want to take advantage of Rich and Rich because he didn’t want to be apart from Jake, especially for a week. Jake spoke again after a brief pause. “He needs to talk to that omega,” he stated, sure of it. “He’s caught his scent and he’s clearly not going to give it up. Either that omega needs to reject him once and for all or they need to talk it out.” Rich nodded, resting his head on Jake’s shoulder. Jake wrapped his arm around his omega’s shoulders, not saying anything. It wasn’t an awkward silence; rather, it was one of peace. Jake broke it a moment later. “I love you, so much,” he murmured, burying his nose in Rich’s hair. Traces of his pre-heat scent already lace his usual one, and Jake can’t get enough of him. He never will be able to. Rich is practically purring, curled up against Jake’s side, and he’s never been happier. “Would you...” he starts, then clears his throat. “Do you want to bond with me?” he asks, uncharacteristically shy. Rich glances up at him with wide eyes, and Jake backtracks. “I—I mean, you don’t have to, please don’t feel pressured, I’m so sor—“ 

His words are cut off by a sudden kiss pressed to his lips. “Yes,” Rich breathes, scent indicating his happiness. Jake sighs in relief, pulling his omega closer. Yes, this is perfect. 

Meanwhile, Michael is on shift at Trader Joe’s. He’s felt different since he brought Jeremy home and left him there; he’s been restless, on edge, and completely unable to focus. The other day, Rich caught him shelving cereal in the juice aisle. He’s never going to hear the end of that. The omega’s scent is stuck in his nose; he can scarcely take a deep breath without thinking of him. 

And he misses his hoodie. 

He hasn’t gone more than a day without is since he was in seventh grade when his moms gave it to him for his twelfth birthday, and now it’s been a week and he’s starting to stress about it. He knows it’s stupid, but it’s comforting to him— it’s been there for him through everything. 

Yeah, he knows where it is, but would Jeremy think it’s creepy if he just shows out without warning? It seems weird to him. He’s not sure what he would do if Jeremy showed up at his door. Should he do it? Ugh. He has no idea what to do. Why is he so indecisive about this? Why can’t he be a real alpha, an actually good alpha? A good alpha could make a goddamn decision. He’s such a failure. 

Someone taps him on the shoulder and he realises he’s been standing with a bunch of bananas in his hand for almost five full minutes. He turns around to see a short Asian girl with short hair looking up at him. “Do you guys have soda water?” she asks, brushing a strand of hair out of her face. Michael nods absently, leading her over to where the cans sit. When he turns to walk away, he notices her looking at him oddly. “Wait...are you that alpha that brought Jeremy home the other day?” Wait, what? Was she bonded to Jeremy? Beta-omega bonds were uncommon, but not unheard of. They also make a bond scent harder to detect. Oh, shit, Michael may have royally fucked up. The girl continues before he can say anything. “His heat ended yesterday and he called me to tell me some alpha brought him home from Trader Joes. Was that you? That’s crazy. Did you give him a red hoodie? He hasn’t taken it off, you know. He washed it after his heat and literally hasn’t taken it off since. I’ve never seen him like this, it’s cr—“

Michael cuts her off. “Who are you?” She laughs. “I’m Christine, Jeremy’s best and only friend. You must be Michael.” She holds out her hand to shake with a flourish. Michael takes it, stunned. Jeremy talked about him? More importantly, Jeremy is wearing his hoodie?? That’s something bonded pairs do, not people who met in a grocery store the week before. Christine takes one look at his stunned face and burst into a fresh peak of laughter. “You should come visit him with me, it would kill him. I want to see the look on his face!” she exclaims, clapping her hands together. Michael laughs awkwardly. “I— uh, well, I really don’t think he wants to see me,” he says, scratching his neck. Christine just stares at him, still somehow vibrating with manic energy. “You think he doesn’t want to— oh my god, you dumbass alpha! He told me you were smart.” She rolls her eyes and grabs his wrist, seeming determined to drag him out of the store. She was surprisingly strong for such a small person. Michael allowed himself to be dragged out of the store by the small Asian woman, shooting an apologetic glance at his manager as he was pulled past him. He’s so gonna get fired for this. 

Christine pulls him outside and starts leading him to— “Christine, there is no way in HELL I am getting in that thing,” Michael practically yells, staring in horror at the monstrosity before him. It’s a lime green VW Beetle, which was bad enough, but it was also covered in a design of large daisies, leading to an overall effect even worse that his own beat up PT Cruiser. Christine only smiles brightly at him and pushes him closer, pulling out a set of keys with a daisy keychain that matched the car. Michael looked at her incredulously. 

“No. I’m not going.”

Christine sighs and looks up at him. “Fine, but you’ll regret this when you’re jacking off to the smell that’s still on your nose later tonight,” she says seriously. 

Michael doesn’t do anything in the moment, but he has to admit, later that night, that she was right.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> to clarify: catching a scent is the basic equivalent of love at first sight. it’s kind of a soulmates thing in that it can sometimes mean that the two involved would be good mates. it can happen at first sight or develop later in a relationship. it’s not very common. sometimes it lasts for a long time and sometimes it’s just a day after. these two will inevitably have a long scent bond.
> 
> sorry this took so long! i love this fic and didn’t want to rush to get it out :) 
> 
> thanks for reading! comments & kudos make my day <3
> 
> hmu on twitter @stxrdusted


	4. 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jeremy returns to Trader Joe’s. 
> 
> TW: attempted rape. not super graphic, but definitely still there. i’ll indicate where it starts and ends with a ~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry it took so long for such a short chapter!! ily guys and stay safe

Three and a half weeks after Jeremy’s last heat, he finally decides to return to Trader Joe’s. He hasn’t gone since he’d gone into heat there, but at this point it’s his tradition. Before every heat he had, he went to the Trader to stock up for the week. He always made sure it was far enough before his heat that no one could smell him— he had absolutely no desire to be assaulted by some asshole alpha. He was also privately hoping to talk to Michael, but he’d never admit it. Not even to Christine, who’d told him after she “ran into” Michael at the store. 

He decided to walk to the store, since the cool fall day was perfect, not a cloud in the sky. He needed the exercise anyway, he wouldn’t be moving much for the next week. 

Jeremy was usually very good at tracking his heats. He had an app and a physical calendar that he updated daily. Pre-heat scent usually starts three to four days before his heat, which is longer than most, but he plans for it. 

Apparently, he fucking miscalculated, if the alpha stalking toward him is any indicator. He’s in the parking lot of the store and he tries to beeline to the doors, but he only makes it halfway before the alpha catches up to him near an ugly, beat up PT Cruiser. 

~

“Hey, pretty,” the alpha purrs, backing him up. Jeremy recoils, back hitting the car. The alpha grabs the hand that Jeremy raises to keep him at bay, pinning it to the side of the car with an iron grip. “Wouldn’t go out so close to your heat if I were you,” he murmurs, voice close to Jeremy’s ear. His scent is disgusting, surrounding him. The alpha is completely invading his personal space, one hand slipping up Jeremy’s shirt. He tries to back away but the alpha only drags him closer, pressing their bodies together. Jeremy’s body betrays him as he feels his dick harden, cursing his heat internally while tears well in his eyes. 

Suddenly, he hears a vicious growl from somewhere behind him. The alpha turns around, still holding Jeremy against him. “Move along,” he said silkily, and it took Jeremy a moment to register that it’s Michael that’s standing in front of him, looking ready for a fight. “I don’t think I will,” Michael practically snarls, taking a menacing step forward. Jeremy has only a moment to revel in his scent as it overpowers the other alphas before Michael is even closer and he’s practically sandwiched between the two snarling alphas. “First come, first serve,” the alpha who assaulted Jeremy growls, tightening his grip on Jeremy’s arm. “He is mine,” Michael insists, a wave of pheromones blasting off of him and Jeremy whimpers, tugging against the other alphas hold on him to get to Michael. The alpha backs off at that, rolling his eyes as he walks off. 

~

When he’s released from the iron hold the alpha had on him, Jeremy slumps to the ground against the car, tears streaming down his face. Michael kneels next to him, rubbing his back. “Jer, are you okay?” he asks, even though he clearly isn’t. Jeremy turns to Michael and buries his face in his shoulder, taking deep, heaving breaths. 

Michael has never been more scared in his life. When he saw Jeremy pushed up against his car, something inside him snapped; all he knew was that he had to protect the slim omega at all costs. 

Wrapping his arms around Jeremy, he sits on the asphalt, tugging him closer. He rubs the omega’s back, trying to calm him down as he feels him shaking. The rage he felt before is dissipating with Jeremy’s closeness. They got together like pieces of a puzzle; it’s like they were meant to be together. Jeremy sniffles and looks up at Michael, shifting in a way that puts him basically in the other’s lap. “Sorry,” he mutters, glancing away from Michael, who currently is fucking dumbfounded that Jeremy would think this is his fault. “Jeremy, look at me,” he says, but it’s more of a request than a calm and. Jeremy complies anyway, looking back up at him, and Michael wipes a tear away from the smaller boy’s eye, hand lingering on his cheek. “That was in no way, at all, ever, your fault. The only ones who’s fault it was was that asshole alpha’s, okay?” Michael tells him. Jeremy sniffles and shakes his head. “I knew my heat was close. I marked it wrong, but I should have known. I shouldn’t have come, Michael, don’t try to tell me otherwise,” he sighs, moving to stand up, and Michael scrambles to his feet after him. “Jeremy, stop,” he pleads. “Why can’t you recognise this isn’t your fault!” he exclaims, drawing in a deep breath to keep talking. He can smell Jeremy’s pre heat, but it’s not overpowering this time. “Get this through your head. It. Is. Not. Your. Fault. Yeah, you smell good. Hell, you smell fucking amazing. But that gives absolutely no one the right to take advantage of you like that. Okay? No. One. Under any circumstances. You deserve the fucking world, Jer, and I don’t want you to let some asshole alpha tell you otherwise,” he finishes, finally looking Jeremy in the eye. Jeremy stand stunned for a moment be fore asking in a small voice, “You think I smell good?” Michael laughs, practically hysterical. “God, Jeremy, you smell fucking perfect,” he says, rubbing a hand over his face. Most omega’s who smell like him have a big head about it, but Jeremy doesn’t even seem to know what he does to Michael. The omega allows Michael to step close to him and wrap his arms around him, pulling him close. This is better than any fantasy Jeremy’s had in the last month. Apparently, he realises, Michael not going with Christine wasn’t because of him. It probably was her fucking awful car. Why did he overthink everything? This was worth it, though. Here (heh), in Michael’s arms, Jeremy finally feels safe and content for the first time in a month. He looks up at Michael to find his lips only centimetres away, and his eyes flick quickly to them before making eye contact with him again. He blushes at the heat in Michael’s stare, unable to hold his gaze. 

Before either of them know what’s happening, their lips are pressed together. It’s not fireworks like people always say, but it feels like coming home. 

That’s all Jeremy has craved for a long time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> they deserve this :) i love them. 
> 
> hmu on twitter @stxrdusted !
> 
> comments & kudos make my day <3

**Author's Note:**

> just fyi: jer’s heat is already close when he goes to the store, and michael’s scent triggers it a little early. he’s able to keep his self control so long from sheer force of will (wow ooc much jeremy has no backbone) 
> 
> the next chapter will be michael’s pov of the Incident
> 
> come hang out on twitter @stxrdusted


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